Kiwis v Kangaroos: Three questions

Kiwis Manu Vatuvei and Greg Eastwood celebrate after winning the Four Nations final between New Zealand and Australia. Photo / Getty Images

Rugby league writers David Skipwith (Herald) and Michael Burgess (Herald on Sunday) answer three questions about last night's thrilling Four Nations final.

1. Where was it won?

David Skipwith: Up front in the forwards. Captain Simon Mannering and Jesse Bromwich set the tone early on before Greg Eastwood, Martin Taupau and Tohu Harris arrived off the bench to push the energy levels up a notch throughout the second quarter. The Kiwis big men kept at it in the second-half as the Kangaroos closed the margin to 14-12 and their efforts were rewarded near the hour mark when Shaun Johnson sliced through to extend their lead before Manu Vatuvei's second four-pointer sealed the result.

Michael Burgess: As is almost always the case, up front. The rolling black wave of Kiwis forwards was simply too much to handle for the Australians. They kept coming, and even when they were stopped, would often create second phase play.
At times it was a stunning sight, as the Kiwis seemed to be breaking the line at will, especially in the second half.

2. Who were the standout performers?

DS: The Kiwis win was built on a solid team performance, with outstanding contributions coming from all areas of the park. Peta Hiku had his best outing in a black jersey, Vatuvei showed why he is so highly regarded by coach Stephen Kearney, and Johnson was arguably the difference between the two teams. There were numerous contributors among the forwards and the interchange bench again played a vital role in turning the tide after the Kangaroos started the match in dominant fashion.

MB: It's difficult to single out particular players - and certainly Stephen Kearney didn't want to after the game - but Martin Taupau made an outstanding contribution before he left the game early with a neck injury. He changed the momentum of the match when he came on, and inspired the Kiwis - and indeed lifted the whole crowd - with his charging runs. Manu Vatuvei was also a key player and the reborn Warriors winger scored tries that only he could last night.

3. Is this a new dawn of Kiwis dominance?

DS: The future is bright for the Kiwis with so many young players having gained confidence and belief throughout the month-long tournament. Stephen Kearney now has a strong group of rising stars to complement the older veterans and they will only grow in ability and mental strength to ensure winning becomes a habit for the Kiwis over the coming years. New standards have been set and with the likes of Bromwich, Johnson, Kieran Foran, Dean Whare and Hiku now well established in the test arena, New Zealand rugby league is in safe hands.

MB: No it's not, but it's definitely the start of a new era. The Kiwis have restored pride in the jersey and gained vital belief which will be invaluable in the coming years. They are a young team and will only get better. But don't expect the Kangaroos to disappear off a cliff. They missed Johnathan Thurston massively - Cooper Cronk's limitations were exposed in this series - and will welcome back key forwards. The 2017 World Cup should be a cracker.